''Protorthodes texicana'' is a

moth Moths are a paraphyletic group of insects that includes all members of the order Lepidoptera that are not butterflies, with moths making up the vast majority of the order. There are thought to be approximately 160,000 species of moth, many of w ...

in the family

Noctuidae The Noctuidae, commonly known as owlet moths, cutworms or armyworms, are a family of moths. They are considered the most controversial family in the superfamily Noctuoidea because many of the clades are constantly changing, along with the other f ...

first described by J. Donald Lafontaine in 2014. It is known from west-central

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

and southern

Mexico Mexico (Spanish: México), officially the United Mexican States, is a country in the southern portion of North America. It is bordered to the north by the United States; to the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; to the southeast by Guatema ...

. The length of the forewings is 12–14 mm. The forewings are pale brown with a dusting of darker-brown scales. The subbasal, antemedial, postmedial and subterminal lines are buff, partially bordered by darker-brown scales. The reniform spot is gray brown, darker than the forewing and with a pale-buff outline, as well as a slight constriction on the anterior and posterior margin. The orbicular spot is similar in color. The hindwings are pale fuscous, basally with darker fuscous on the discal spot, the veins and the marginal area. Adults are on wing from late March to late May and in early October.

Etymology

The species name is derived from Texas and Mexico, the two areas from which it has been recorded.; ; 2014: A revision of the genus ''Protorthodes'' McDunnough with descriptions of a new genus and four new species (Lepidoptera, Noctuidae, Noctuinae, Eriopygini). ''

ZooKeys ''ZooKeys'' is a peer-reviewed open access scientific journal covering zoological taxonomy, phylogeny, and biogeography. It was established in 2008 and the editor-in-chief is Terry Erwin (Smithsonian Institution). It is published by Pensoft Publ ...

'', 421: 139-179.

References

Moths described in 2014 Hadeninae {{Hadeninae-stub